We've been recovering from a wonderful time with Grandad & Grandmom Pierce. I should actually call it "The adventures of Fred, Lorrie, Cal and kids Summer 2008 Trip." We really rocked the Strasburg/Dutch Wonderland scene for 2 days. If you can imagine me piling all 3 kids into the double stroller, Dad wheeling around with his motor wheelchair and Mom keeping us all in line...it was rather crazy but very fun. And did I mention that my biceps are still aching?
Dutch Wonderland was incredible- what with the added Disney type things they've added since I was there as a kid! The kids were mesmerized the whole day.
I had planned a "quick" visit to a friend's house (Mark Oles) who has a really deluxe train setup in his backyard to complete our day at Dutch Wonderland. We dragged the boys away kicking and screaming because I wanted to fit in the visit to Mark and his trains. Surely, I thought, this would complete the day for the kids. My brilliant plan was to keep them awake in the car with ice cream (it was already after 8 pm), run over to Mark's for 15 minutes to see the trains and hop back in the van for a peaceful return to Malvern. I haven't learned yet that kids do suffer from over stimulation. AND one shouldn't voluntarily plan something that interferes with a day at an amusement fantasy world for kids...a park you'd spent an obscene amount of money to enter in the first place!
But I am a daughter of Lorrie. I MUST fit everything in! (Mom & Dad- please laugh with me over this).
So back to the ice cream. It did seem to help keep the kids awake. But I was pushing myself so hard that I actually reached a low point when I reached my weary hands into the McDonalds bag of fries (which of course were to keep Monica busy during the short trip) and proceeded to dip them into my ice cream cone. Then it hit me. This was surely a sign that I had gone way to far. Fries dipped in ice cream? I had overdone it.
The boys of course did love the trains. Dad did too (he successfully wheeled all around Mark's backyard.)
But I did learn my lesson.
My whole life I've been able to overplan and fit ALOT into my days.
But now I'm a Mom. When it comes to kids, enough is enough!
So maybe this post will serve solely to remind myself for future trips to let my wild ambitions go and strive for the "less is more" philosophy with my poor kids.
And maybe you all got a little laugh out of it.
Especially my parents.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
7 comments:
Kids do teach us a thing or two don't they :)
I am STILL learning this lesson, at the tender age of ... well.. older than you anyway! :)
My kids are older than yours as well, but I'm realizing that there really is something to the saying, "leave while you're still having fun." I think we McDonnells (and you Pierces) inherited this. We have a hard time admitting that the day or activity is over, and we should just let it go. No! We must milk every last moment of joy out of that moment! Only sometimes, it all turns from joy to ... irritation. :) So, a good reminder, Carolyn.
I love reading about your family! Lorrie gave me your addresses so I could keep in touch! I look forward to reading more!! :) And I caved and just started my own.
Dear Carolyn, If you can learn from your "mistakes" when you're only 29 that's awesome! I'm a slow learner myself. Of course now that Dad is in a wheelchair I've revamped my paradigm about what is a reasonable outing. We love you all so much and had a lot of fun!But we sure needed a day to recover after Dutch Wonderland. You hadn't posted for a while so I figured you needed recovery time too! Love, Mom
cal, loved your description of srasburg train and dutch wonderland and of course that overzealous visit to mark oles what astory to remember. anyway keep up your good humor the trucks of goood humor don't come around anymore. We miss them.mom is out bying ice cream right now.
i for one LOVE fries and ice cream (fries dipped in milk shakes is a guilty pleasure of mine) :)
love the post and images! And love your dad's last comment! Sure we the "ice cream man" came around here but we're way too far out in the country for that :)
Thanks to you all for commenting on this. It is so consoling to know that Jaye has also dipped fries in ice cream...and that Mom is admitting online to her new "paradigm" of what a full day looks like...and Cathy is still learning this lesson too...and Dad writing about Mom out buying ice cream is a classic...and finally Tarynn! Haven't talked to you in years! What exactly are we- second cousins or first cousins once removed?
Peace out everyone!
Carolyn
Post a Comment